Travis Kelce shouting, “You gotta fight for your right to party!” into Jim Nantz’s microphone could easily be one of Kansas City‘s most iconic moments. The post-game moment from the 2020 AFC Championship win over the Tennessee Titans eventually became the Chiefs Kingdom’s celebration anthem. But guess what? Kelce wasn’t supposed to come live and chant those Beastie Boys lyrics. More than that, it nearly stirred the pot between Jim Nantz and CBS Sports.
“I let that run out a little too long, I apologize about that,” Kelce replied when Nantz brought it up during his recent appearance on the New Heights podcast.
While Nantz told Kelce, “It was perfect”, he also became skeptical of the viral moment at that time. “One time there was a show premiering on CBS after the AFC Championship Game,” he further added. “They’re telling me we’ve got to get through this, make it really fast. Patrick [Mahomes] answers a question, and I’m looking at you [pointing at Travis], letting you know I’m coming to you next.
Even though Jim Nantz was told not to ask another question, he still did and almost landed himself in a major controversy, courtesy of Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
“They’re saying in my ear, ‘Do not go to another question.’ I say, ‘Hey, before we go, Travis, come over here real quick.’ This was the first time [he delivered] the ‘Fight for your right to party’. But, the ‘F’ in fight drags on so long that I thought, not only have I been guilty of insubordination, I’ve just walked into an F-bomb on the CBS TV Network. I was so relieved when the word came out with an ‘F-I’ instead of F-whatever.”
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The segment focused on moments after Kansas City beat Tennessee 35-24, advancing to the Super Bowl. At that time, after holding and taking a good look at the Lamar Hunt Trophy, Kelce and Patrick Mahomes engaged with Nantz for a post-game interview.
And that’s when the tight end went wild with his celebrations. The Chiefs were heading to the Super Bowl for the first time in 50 years as they clinched the Lombardi trophy last in 1970 after defeating the Minnesota Vikings lopsidedly (23-7). Along with the long-term drought, they had a massive turnaround in the playoffs, making the win even more special.
The franchise erased a double-digit deficit in all three postseason games that year. Additionally, it was the team’s first Super Bowl appearance under Andy Reid’s leadership. Mahomes played like his usual self, throwing for 294 yards and three touchdowns. He also contributed 53 yards and one more touchdown on the ground. On the contrary, Kelce had a quieter night as he caught only three passes for 30 yards.
While it was clearly not his day, Kelce didn’t let the big moment slide. The Chiefs went on to win two more Super Bowl rings in 2023 and 2024. And yet, Kelce’s hunger for another ring seems stronger than ever.
Travis Kelce wants to add one more SB ring to his resume
It’s been almost a month since Travis Kelce announced his return to Kansas City for his 14th NFL season. His decision came after almost everyone in the league and Chiefs Kingdom assumed he would not be returning. Rumors about personal developments affecting his potential retirement never slowed down throughout the offseason.
Speaking on the New Heights podcast last month, Kelce revealed he had decided to rejoin Andy Reid’s team midway through the 2025 season.
When Jason further pressed Travis about his decision to return, Kelce revealed he wanted to clear his mind. The tight end wanted to get over his emotions and frustrations driven by the disappointing 2025 season. This was the first time in Andy Reid’s tenure that the team couldn’t qualify for the playoffs. While Mahomes’ ACL and LCL injury definitely crushed the team’s momentum, the offense had never looked like it belonged. The defense saw some improvement, but it wasn’t enough.
“Of course I want to come back,” he said. “Of course, I don’t want to end my career not making the playoffs and not having one of the best years. It still felt like I was hungry enough to get back at it.”
He said the aftermath left him highly unsatisfied, and he became more adamant about winning the fifth ring for Kansas City.
“Obviously, there’s still a little bit of that grit and that emotion,” he said. “I f—ing hated the way that sh-t ended last year. I wanna make it right, and I wanna get another chance at another f—ing Super Bowl.”
